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Court Fixes Hearing For N50m Suit Qgainst AGF, Finance Minister Over Alleged Salary Seizure

Published

3 years ago

October 31, 2022

The National Industrial Court in Abuja on Monday fixed December 7 and 8 for the definite hearing of a N50m suit instituted against the Finance Minister, Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and others over alleged unlawful salary seizure.

A senior staff of the Budget Office of the Federation, Mrs Bilkisu Okenne Sanusi in the suit is alleging abuse of government powers to illegally and unlawfully withhold her salaries and entitlement for daring to expose corrupt practices being perpetuated in the Budget Office of the Federation (BoF).

Also joined in the suit marked NICN/ABJ/ 96/2022 as defendants are, the Head of Service of the Federation, Director General, Budget Office of the Federation and Accountant General of the Federation.

At Monday’s proceedings, the Director, Legal Services in the Budget Office, Mrs M. D Agada, representing the 2nd and 3rd defendants and Aliyu Abdulkadir, representing the Attorney General of the Federation told the court that they have filed a memorandum of appearance and their responses to the originating summons of the claimant.

However, the trial Judge, Justice Oyebiola Oyewumi observed that the memorandum of appearance of the 4th defendant was without a stamp as required by law and ordered parties to file all necessary papers before December 7 and 8 fixed for definite hearing in the case.

The claimant had in her statements of facts alleged that she discovered monumental corrupt practices by some staff of the Ministry of Finance (3rd Defendant) in the office of the Director General, Budget Office of the Federation (2nd Defendant).

She claimed that the corrupt practice bothers on manipulation of budget proposals by MDAs, which she reported to the Director General and also alleged further that the 2nd Defendant, being her immediate boss, was complicit in the alleged acts.

Following open aggression against her person, the plaintiff said that she reported the matter to the Head of Service of the Federation (1st defendant) and the Ministry of Finance (3rd defendant) who also allegedly sailed in the same boat with the 2nd defendant.

The claimant averred that the issue led to the removal of her name from payment vouchers in addition to other efforts to frustrate her.

She alleged further that the 2nd defendant also without any justification caused her Secret and Open Files domiciled with the Budget Office of the Federation Registry to be removed and kept in an unknown place to frustrate her from proceeding on her retirement.

The claimant alleged that the 2nd defendant, in a bid to frustrate her also instructed his allies in the Finance department to withhold and deny her due financial and maternal benefits and rights incidental to her employment and office in the Budget Office of the Federation.

The claimant, therefore, wants the court to declare that “The termination of the Claimant’s salaries and entitlements prior and from the 26th November 2021 till date by the 1st, 2nd 3rd and 5th defendant is illegal, unlawful and gross abuse of governmental powers as such null and void and of no effect.

“That with-holding of the Claimant’s Secret and Open Files and fringe benefits, bonuses and Christmas, Easter and Sallah gifts and all other benefits howsoever called incidental to her position as a staff of the Budget Office of the Federation by the 2nd Defendant 1st is illegal, unlawful and a gross abuse of governmental powers as such, null and void and of no effect.

“That the 1st defendant lacks the power to impose punishment or suspension of salary on the Claimant safe as stipulated by the Public Service Rule which Rule must be adhered to as expressly stipulated as doing otherwise amounts to a nullity.”

She also seeks an order of the court “Compelling the defendants to pay the Claimant all her salaries, Entitlements, fringe benefits, bonuses and all benefits however called incidental to her position as a staff of the Budget Office of the Federation withheld by the defendants illegally and unlawfully amounting to N2, 214, 250 only.

“An order, compelling the 2nd defendant to forthwith release the Claimant’s Secret and Open File to enable her proceed with the processing of her retirement

“The sum of N50 Million only as exemplary damages in favour of the Claimant against the defendants having acted in bad faith against her.

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NiMet Predicts Three-day Rain, Thunderstorms From Monday

Published

20 hours ago

September 21, 2025

Editor

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JUST IN: Ooni Visits Olubadan-designate Ladoja In Ibadan

Published

1 day ago

September 21, 2025

Editor

The Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, on Sunday, paid a visit to the Olubadan designate, Rashidi Ladoja, at his Bodija private residence in Ibadan, Oyo State.

The PUNCH reports that Oba Ladoja will be installed as the 44th Olubadan on Friday, September 26, 2025, following the demise of the 43rd Olubadan, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin, who joined his ancestors on Monday, July 7, 2025, at the age of 90 years.

The two paramount rulers are currently exchanging pleasantries.

Details later…

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JUST IN: FG Revokes 1,263 Mineral Licenses Over Unpaid Fees

Published

1 day ago

September 21, 2025

Editor

The Federal Government through the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development has announced a fresh revocation of not less than 1,263 mineral licenses.

These licenses, which will now be deleted from the Electronic Mining Cadastral System portal of the Nigerian Mining Cadastral Office, include 584 exploration licenses, 65 mining leases, 144 quarry licenses, and 470 small-scale mining leases.

The minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, gave the revocation announcement in a statement issued by his special assistant on Media, Segun Tomori, on Sunday in Abuja.

The minister explained that the directive was issued due to the companies’ failure to comply with the requirement of paying their annual service fees.

The latest revocation brings the total mineral titles revoked under the current administration to 3, 794 including,619 mineral titles revoked for defaulting in paying annual service fees and 912 for dormancy last year.

By opening up the areas formerly covered by these licenses, the revocation is expected to spur fresh applications by investors looking for fresh opportunities.

The statement read, “Not less than 1,263 mineral licenses will be deleted from the portal of the Electronic Mining Cadastral system of the Nigerian Mining Cadastral Office, MCO, following their revocation by the Federal Government.

“These include 584 exploration licenses, 65 mining leases, 144 quarry licenses, and 470 small-scale mining leases.”

Approving the revocation following the recommendation of the MCO, the Minister said applying the law to keep speculators and unserious investors away from the mining sector would make way for diligent investors and grow the sector.

“The era of obtaining licences and keeping them in drawers for the highest bidder, while financially capable and industrious businessmen are complaining of access to good sites, is over.

“The annual service fee is the minimum evidence that you are interested in mining. You don’t have to wait for us to revoke the license because the law allows you to return the license if you change your mind,” the minister said.

He warned that the revocation does not mean the Federal Government has pardoned the annual service debt owed by licensees, adding that the list will be forwarded to the Economic & Financial Crimes Commission to ensure that debtors pay or face the wrath of the law.

“This is to encourage due diligence and emphasise the consequences of inundating the license application processes with speculative activities.”

In the recommendation to the minister, the Director-General of the MCO, Simon Nkom, disclosed that there were 1,957 initial defaulters when the MCO published the intention to revoke licences in the Federal Government Gazette on June 19, 2025.

He informed the minister that the gazette was distributed to MCO offices nationwide to sensitise licencees and encourage them to comply within 30 days in compliance with the Minerals and Mining Act 2007 and relevant regulations.

He observed that the delay in the final recommendation was due to complaints of several licensees who claimed to have paid to the Federal Government through Remita and had to be reconciled.

Earlier this month, the DG MCO had hinted that more mining licences would be revoked as part of ongoing efforts to sanitise the solid minerals sector and protect investors from fraudsters.

According to Nkom, the clean-up exercise, which covers expired, speculative, and inactive titles, is necessary to make room for genuine investors and ensure compliance with the law.

This is part of ongoing efforts at sanitising the sector since the inception of the Tinubu administration, and the salutary effects of the reforms are massive and manifest despite the attempts to push back by defaulters and their agents.